Strategic Intelligence Update

Superconductivity for
Power Delivery Applications
Decmber 2014 Program 36

AmpaCity Energizes Commercial Superconducting Cable in Essen

Nexans HTS Cable to
Strengthen Urban Grid
A 1-km length of high-temperature super-
conducting (HTS) cable has been energized
in the city of Essen, Germany, as part of the
AmpaCity project. The 10-kV line, which
connects transformers at two substations, is
a landmark demonstration of practical su-
perconductivity in a real-world application,
and is currently the longest HTS cable deployed
in the world (Figure 1).
The three-phase, concentric cable replaces con-
ventional 110-kV copper lines in the city center
to transport up to 40 MVA of power (Figure 2,
next page). Its rated current is 2310 A. One goal
of AmpaCity is to demonstrate that supercon-
ducting cables can help cities avoid expanding
their high-voltage urban cable networks by al-
lowing greater levels of power transfer in the Figure 1: Aerial view of AmpaCity HTS cable and related fault current limiter
same rights of way, using lower distribution volt- installation in Essen, Germany. (Source: Nexans)
ages. Project partners include cable manufacturer
Nexans, the Karlsruhe Institute for Technology “High-temperature superconducting energy cables are ready
(KIT), utility RWE Deutschland, and project sponsor Jülich. for commercialization,” said Mathias Noe, director of the KIT
Institute of Technical Physics. “It took about 30 years for high-
temperature superconductors to develop from an idea worth a
Contents Nobel Prize to an industrial application. Cable operation under
the AmpaCity project is to demonstrate that technical require-
DHS Project HYDRA Brings HTS to Chicago’s Loop....... 4 ments associated with the use in practice are fulfilled with a high
reliability.”
KEPCO Energizes Jeju Island HVDC Cable.................. 6
The Nexans cable is a triaxial, cold dielectric design cooled to
Field Test of Applied Materials SFCL Underway............ 7 67K by liquid nitrogen (Figures 3 and 4). It can conduct five
times the electricity of a copper cable of the same size despite its
CAPS Developing He-Cooled HTS Cable for Navy ..... 7 thick cooling jacket.
The system is protected from overload by a superconducting fault
Progress Report: St. Petersburg DC HTS Cable Project . . 7
current limiter (SFCL), also provided by Nexans. The technical
Lessons Learned in Successful Yokohama Demo............ 8 specifications of the AmpaCity SFCL include:
• Prospective short-circuit current (peak): 50 kA
CERN Develops MgB2 Cable for Collider Upgrade...... 9
• Prospective short-circuit current (rms) 20 kA
Update: Superconducting Projects Worldwide.............. 10

continued on page 2

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 Figure 2: Transmission
system before and after
HTS cable (Source:
Nexans)

• Limited short-circuit current (peak): <13 kA

• Limited short-circuit current (rms): <5 kA
• Limitation time: 100 ms
• Lightning impulse: 75 kV
• AC withstand voltage: 28 kV.
Figure 6 (next page) shows system loading during daily operation
between July 27 and August 8, 2014. Note the expected decrease
in current on low-demand weekends, particularly Sunday, while
voltage remains nearly constant at almost 6 kV.
Before launching the AmpaCity project, KIT conducted a study Figure 3: Cutaway schematic of Nexans HTS cable (Source: Nexans)
analyzing the feasibil-
ity and economics of
deploying a medium-
voltage superconduct-
ing cable. The study
included a financial
analysis of three power
transmission options:
conventional high
voltage, conventional
medium voltage, and
HTS medium voltage.

Figure 4: Diagram
of the AmpaCity
HTS cable cooling
system (Source:
Nexans)

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Comparing the alternatives’ net present value (NPV) of invest-
ment and operating costs, the study concluded that the HTS op-
tion would be about 15% more economical than conventional
high voltage but 7% more expensive than conventional medium
voltage. However, the higher power density, lower ohmic losses,
and other unique benefits of HTS cable offset its cost penalties.
Figure 5:
If the AmpaCity project is successful, it could serve as a model AmpaCity
for rebuilding inner-city power grids facing growing demand SFCL, on site
and limited space. Subsequent projects could involve install- at Substation
ing more 10-kV superconducting links to replace high-voltage Herkules, Essen
lines throughout Essen’s large distribution network. To that end, (Source: Nexans)
AmpaCity’s partners have drafted an urban grid plan to replace
five transformers and more than 12 km of high-voltage lines with
HTS cable.

Figure 6: System Loading, July–August 2014 (Source: Nexans)

AmpaCity Background
The total cost of the AmpaCity project is approximately
€13.5 million ($16.8 million), including €5.9 million
($7.3 million) from Germany’s Federal Ministry of Eco-
nomics and Technology (BMWi). AmpaCity milestones
include:
• Project Start: September 2011
• Prototype Manufactured: October 2012
• Type Text Completed: February 2013
• Start of Component Manufacturing: March 2013
• Groundbreaking Ceremony: April 9, 2013
• System Installation On Site: September-December 2013
• Commissioning Testing: December 16, 2013
• System Commissioning: March 10, 2014
• Pilot Operation: 2014 to 2016 (in progress)

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 DHS Project HYDRA Brings HTS to Chicago’s Loop
Resilient Electric Grid Will Building a Resilient Electric Grid
Improve Security, Reliability
The REG concept uses IFCL HTS cable systems to improve sys-
Project HYDRA, a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) tem reliability and load-serving capability in urban distribution
effort to develop and deploy superconducting technology in networks. REG takes advantage of the key characteristics of HTS
urban distribution networks, has set in motion plans to install cable:
more than three miles of HTS cable to build a Resilient Electric
Grid (REG) in Chicago’s Loop area. American Superconductor • High power density: the ability to transport bulk transmission
(AMSC) and Commonwealth Edison are partners in the project, power at distribution voltages.
with a cable vendor and a refrigeration system vendor to be cho- • Ease of siting: three phases in a single cable and thermal isola-
sen soon. tion make siting easier.
HYDRA is designed to protect
the grid and provide uninter-
rupted power during catastrophic
situations. If the grid in the Loop
were disrupted, the HTS cable
could reroute large amounts of
power to the area from other
sources. The Chicago project is
the first commercial application
of the technology, though AMSC
is evaluating similar projects with
two unnamed utilities.
Phase 1 of HYDRA involved de-
signing an inherently fault cur-
rent limiting (IFCL) HTS cable,
and has been completed. Phase 2
includes system design, installa-
tion, and a one-year operational
demonstration in New York City,
and is expected to be completed
in 2015. Phase 3 involves ComEd
partnering with AMSC to de-
velop an REG deployment plan
for Chicago that will result in the
largest HTS project of its type
in the world. More details about
each of these phases are provided Figure 7: A schematic example of how substations in an REG system could be interconnected to
below. support each other and improve grid reliability. (Courtesy of AMSC)

HTS Technically Proven but Commercialization Barriers Remain

Southwire has done perhaps more than any other company in the United States to bring HTS cables into the utility marketplace.
Based on their experience base, there are several barriers to commercialization. Capital cost is still very high, on the order of
$15–$20 million per mile, and is expected to drop to $10–$15 million per mile in five or more years. System cryogenics are
not optimized for cables; size reductions are necessary, and the cryogenics must be simpler to operate, easier to maintain, and
more efficient.
Developers also need adequate facilities to test cable, terminations and splices, as well as long-length (greater than 1 km) stud-
ies to gain experience with heat loads, cool-down, and recovery times. In addition, better repair and maintenance strategies
are needed to make repairs faster and easier.

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 Figure 8: REG Solution: transmission and transformation in suburban area (left),
and distribution-only substation in urban area (right) (Courtesy of AMSC)

• Fault current limiting: FCL capability allows approaches not Three Phases
available with other technologies.
In Phase 1 of Project HYDRA, AMSC and Southwire developed
REG systems would allow the installation of small, cost- an IFCL HTS cable that passed industry qualification tests at
effective urban substations, which is a significant advantage in Oak Ridge National Laboratory and was approved for installa-
densely built urban centers. By sharing load among substations, tion in urban power networks. Southwire’s Triax® cable arranges
REG enables urban utilities to better use their existing assets the three electrical phases concentrically around a common core
and offsets substation investments to handle load growth. If one cooled by liquid nitrogen, and reportedly has 10 times the power
substation in a REG system is compromised, other substations density of a same-sized copper wire (Figure 9). Southwire had a
can help to serve the load. Intercon-
nection at the distribution level in
effect creates a “backup system” that
can survive multiple transmission
or transformer outages, resulting in
N-3 or N-4 reliability (Figure 7). In
an REG system, a new urban substa-
tion would be just a simple distribu-
tion bus interconnected to the greater
grid via three HTS cables; in subur-
ban applications, new transformers
could be installed without requiring
new transmission circuits (Figure 8).

Figure 9: Southwire’s Triax® Cable Design (Source: Southwire)

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200-meter length of Triax® cable in ser-
vice at American Electric Power (AEP) in
Columbus, Ohio from 2006 to 2012.
Phase 2 involves designing, installing, and
demonstrating an IFCL HTS cable for
one year. This phase is being carried out
at two Consolidated Edison substations in
New York (Figure 10). Characteristics of
the Phase 2 cable design include:
• Voltage/Current: 13.8 kV, 4000 A, 96
MVA
• Design Fault Current: 40 kA @67 ms
• 170 meters long.
Completion of this phase is expected in
2015. Figure 10: HYDRA Phase 2 connects ConEd’s Rockview
and nearby Granite Hill substations. (Courtesy of AMSC)
For Phase 3, Chicago’s ComEd and
AMSC agreed in July 2014 to develop a
plan to deploy a REG system. Approximately 3.8 miles of 12-kV EPRI will follow the HYDRA project closely and keep members
IFCL HTS cable interconnecting five substations would increase apprised of its progress.
power reliability and security in Chicago’s Loop.

KEPCO Energizes Jeju Island HVDC Cable

In late October, Korea Electric Power Co. (KEPCO) and LS
Cable & Systems energized a high-voltage direct current (HVDC)
HTS cable at a smart grid demonstration site on Jeju Island, off
the coast of South Korea. The 500-meter, 80-kV DC cable con-
tains AMSC’s Amperium® HTS wire and is interconnected with
KEPCO’s electric grid to provide system stability and renewables
integration (Figure 11). It is rated for 750 A and 60 MW.
The new DC cable will strengthen a 154-kV link between Jeju
Island’s Hanlim and GumAk substations. The island is a test
bed for several smart grid, microgrid, and superconductivity proj-
ects. One aim of the five-year (2011–2016) effort is to advance
the commercialization of HTS technologies. To that end, Jeju
Island is also hosting a 1-km 154-kV AC HTS cable. In addition,
a 154-kV (2-kA) superconducting fault current limiter is under
development and slated for deployment at GumAk Substation
in 2015.
KEPCO’s goals for Jeju Island include analyzing grid behavior
with superconducting AC and DC components, and developing
best practices for system operation and maintenance, including
HTS refrigeration components. In 2011, KEPCO and LS Cable
& Systems energized a 22.9-kV AC cable system at the Icheon
substation near Seoul, South Korea, which successfully operated
for two years.
KEPCO is designing future HTS cables that it anticipates will
be able to transport up to 10 GW of power within an 8-meter
underground right-of-way. A similar overhead circuit would re-
quire several high-voltage circuits and approximately 120 meters
of right–of-way. However, the cost of HVDC remains sufficiently
high that the technology is still uneconomical over short distanc-
es. At present, long runs (over approximately 300 miles) would be
required to make HVDC profitable.

Figure 11: Jeju Island grid diagram (Courtesy of M. Park, Changwon National University, South Korea)

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 Field Test of Applied Materials SFCL Underway
Applied Materials began testing and evaluating a new super-
conducting fault current limiter (SFCL) system at a New York
substation in May. The one-phase, 110-kV SFCL has a nominal
voltage rating of 15 kV and a continuous current rating of 400 A.
Other partners in the one-year project include host utility Cen-
tral Hudson Gas and Electric Co. and the New York State En-
ergy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), which
paid for half the project, with Applied Materials contributing the
other half. SuperPower supplied the superconducting wire for the
system.
The SFCL is designed to reduce the first peak of a fault current
on a power line, thereby limiting the destructive forces on the
power system and improving equipment reliability. Incorporat-
ing 2G HTS materials, the SFCL is designed to add essentially
zero impedance during normal operation, to insert impedance
in time to reduce the first peak of fault current, and to rapidly
recover after a fault for subsequent operation. Depending on the
specific system configuration and local operating conditions, the
SFCL has the potential to reduce the magnitude of fault currents
by 50% or more.
“We see the application of fault current limiters at our host sub-
station as a great opportunity to test and evaluate this promising
technology,” said Paul Haering, Central Hudson’s VP of Engi-
neering and System Operations. “The large current experienced
during a fault—up to 200 times nominal current level—exerts
excessive forces on power grid components and connections. By
adding fault current limiters, our goal is to lengthen the service
life of equipment and lower system losses, ultimately lowering
costs for our electricity customers.”

CAPS Developing He-cooled HTS Cable for Naval Use

Scientists at Florida State University’s Center for Advanced Pow- gas has a low dielectric strength, so the cable’s dielectric design
er Systems (CAPS) have succeeded in conducting 300 A of direct must depend on the solid dielectric medium.
current through a 30-meter HTS test cable that was cooled us-
“This is the first helium gas-cooled superconducting power cable
ing pressurized helium. The CAPS cable incorporates 4-mm 2G
demonstration in the world,” said Principal Investigator Sastry
HTS tapes. It was tested at 3 kA DC current for long durations
Pamidi. “Achieving this amount of power conduction using a
and up to 5.5 kA for short durations, at temperatures ranging
much more ship-friendly cooling medium such as gaseous helium
from 50K to 60K. The use of gaseous helium rather than liquid
is a major accomplishment. It offers the Navy unique flexibility
nitrogen has the potential to reduce the operating temperature,
for a power delivery cable as it works to design and build a new
size, and weight of superconducting power cables, as well as im-
generation of all-electric naval vessels with 100 MW generating
prove performance of the wire, although it introduces challenges
capacity and high power loads.”
of its own.
While gaseous helium coolant may be the cryogen of choice for
Working under a grant from the U.S. Office of Naval Research
ship and aircraft DC cables for weight and safety reasons, the
(ONR), the researchers developed the system with an eye toward
refrigeration power to cool an HTS cable to 50K is significantly
medium-voltage DC power systems on future all-electric naval
more than that needed for liquid nitrogen-cooled systems. That,
vessels. NASA and the U.S. Air Force are also developing all-
combined with the lower dielectric strength, means that liquid
electric aircraft that could use similar systems. Nitrogen is more
helium-cooled systems for land-based cable are not likely to be
dangerous than helium to crews in enclosed spaces because it
cost effective any time soon. Nevertheless, the lessons learned in
displaces breathable air and builds up significant pressure as it
the CAPS project are key to forming a better understanding of
phase-changes from liquid to gas. However, the low heat capacity
the use of HTS cables for DC applications.
of helium gas requires high pressures and flow rates for effective
heat removal in superconducting systems. In addition, helium

Progress Report: St. Petersburg DC HTS Cable Project

In a project sponsored by the Federal Grid Company United En-
ergy System (FGC UES), researchers are developing, building,
and installing a DC superconducting cable in central St. Peters-
burg, Russia. According to papers presented by FGC UES scien-
tist Victor Sytnikov at the Applied Superconductivity Conference
in August and the International Symposium on DC Supercon-
ducting Power Transmission Lines in March, some components
have been manufactured, and early testing and installation have
begun. Sytnikov said the project is on schedule and all equipment
will be produced by the end of 2014. Full-length cable production
was completed on August 12, 2014.
The goal of the project is to enhance the reliability of electric
power supply and to limit fault currents in a central section of St.
Petersburg. Project specifications include:
• Transmission Power: 50 MW

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• Operating Voltage: 20 kV
• Operating Current: 2500 A
• Operating Temperature: 66–80K
• Length: Approximately 2500 me-
ters
• Cooling Capacity: 12 kW @ 70K
“Successful tests of a 2-by-30-me-
ter and 860-meter cable lines have
confirmed the correctness of the
design and reliability of manufac-
turing technology [for] HTS cables
and accessories,” reported Sytnikov, Figure 12: Network diagram showing placement of HTS DC cable interconnecting two substations in
downtown St. Petersburg, Russia (Source: V.E. Sytnikov, FGC UEC)
adding that the project will provide
a test of technical solutions and ex-
perience for future commercial applications. “It will be a first step More information about the St. Petersburg project may be found
for the further building of circular DC electric power chains in in Chapter 2 of the EPRI Technical Update Superconducting
megalopolises.” Power Equipment: Technology Watch 2012 (1024190).

Successful Operation and Lessons Learned in Yokohama Demo

The first real-world demonstration of HTS cable in Japan oper- uted to degradation of the vacuum state that increased heat loss at
ated reliably for more than one year, from October 2012 until both termination points. Three vacuum evacuations in mid-2013
December 2013, according to a summary report provided at the restored the system to its expected operation.
Applied Superconductivity Conference in August. Sponsored by
The researchers concluded that, in practice, improvement of the
Japan’s Ministry for Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), the
cryostat, careful vacuum maintenance, and a highly efficient and
Yokohama demonstration project aimed to provide a long-term
reliable cryo-cooler are required. Turbo-Brayton-cycle refrigera-
evaluation of a HTS cable system in a commercial utility envi-
ronment.
Sumitomo Electric manufactured the three-phase, 66-kV, 1.75-
kA rms (200 MVA) HTS cable, which links a 154/66-kV trans-
former to a substation sub-transmission bus 250 meters away
(Figure 13). In addition to METI and Sumitomo, project partici-
pants included host utility Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO)
and Mayekawa Manufacturing Co., which provided the cryo-
genic system.
The cable began transmitting grid power on October 12, 2012,
and operated for more than 400 days without a shutdown (Fig-
ure 14). Inspections were performed in June and July 2013. The
maximum current of 1127 A rms was observed on August 10, 2013
(indicated by the red arrow in Figure 15). No overloading was
detected over the course of the test. The system experienced one
ground fault event on August 12, 2013, which did no apparent
damage. The project concluded on December 25, 2013.
Figure 14 documents that the Yokohama project faced challeng-
es, particularly as the project progressed. Although the liquid ni-
trogen temperature remained within an acceptable range of 68K
to 76K (excluding maintenance periods), it did vary and rise over
time. After May 2013, operators found that heat loss from the
Figure 13: Network diagram showing HTS cable between transformer
cable system surpassed their calculated values, which they attrib-
and 66-kV bus (Source: Sumitomo Electric Co.)

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tion has been tested to see if it might
offer better performance for HTS
cable applications. As a result, proj-
ect sponsors have decided to launch
a second phase for the Yokohama
project. A more efficient Turbo-Bray-
ton machine by Mayekawa will be
installed in 2015, along with other
improvements. These lessons-learned
will inform a new national project
in Japan for reforming superconduc-
tivity practice and verifying system
safety after events such as the ground
fault in August.

Figure 14: Summary of Yokohama project’s operational results (“LIN” = liquid nitrogen)
(Source: Sumitomo Electric Co.)

CERN Develops MgB2 Cable for Collider Upgrade

Built underground near Geneva, Switzerland, the Large Hadron The MgB2 wire was manufactured by Columbus Superconduc-
Collider (LHC) is the world’s most powerful particle accelerator, tors of Italy. A full-scale demonstration of a 150-kA line with a
regularly revealing the secrets of the universe. It is also a major vertical rise of 80 meters will be the next major milestone. CERN
user of superconducting wire and magnets. Now, CERN, which anticipates the first integration of MgB2 cable into the LHC ma-
built and operates the LHC, is installing a DC superconducting chine to occur in 2018.
cable that provides an important proof of concept with potential
applications to utility transmission One advantage of MgB2 is that it is
systems. relatively inexpensive and easy to
manufacture compared to other su-
CERN plans to use a magnesium perconducting materials. The trade-
diboride (MgB2) superconductor ca- off is that it is not a high-temperature
ble in its “High Luminosity” LHC superconductor (loosely defined here
upgrade, an effort to increase the ac- as a material that operates effective-
celerator’s luminosity (defined as the ly at liquid nitrogen temperatures),
number of particles per unit area per and therefore requires more expen-
time) by a factor of 10 before 2020. sive cooling to operate at lower tem-
Part of the upgrade will rely on pow- peratures than other types of cables.
ering the collider’s superconducting IASS is investigating the possibility
magnets via 300- to 500-meter-long of replacing standard high-power or
MgB2-based electrical transfer lines. long-distance HVDC lines with DC
CERN is collaborating on the proj- superconducting cables made of
ect with the Institute for Advanced MgB2, which could provide sub-
Sustainability Studies (IASS), which stantial benefits in cost, efficiency,
has a program dedicated to long-dis- environmental impact, and public
tance energy transport via supercon- acceptance.
ducting DC transmission lines.
Additional background informa-
To date, CERN has successfully tion on the IASS project and the
tested a 2-by-20-meter MgB2 cable use of superconducting materials
carrying 20 kA in a forced flow of by CERN is available in Chapter
He gas at 24K, a world-record cur- 2 of EPRI’s Superconducting Power
rent for that material (Figure 15). Figure 15: Two 20-meter lengths of MgB2 cable conducted
Equipment: Technology Watch 2012
20 kA at 24K in tests at CERN (Source: CERN)
(1024190).

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 Update: Superconducting Technology Project Worldwide
The tables on the following pages summarize the status of key superconducting technology projects, including cables and
fault current limiters, in the United States, Europe, Japan and South Korea.

Table A-1: HTS Cable Projects in the United States

Project Long Island Long Island 2 HYDRA Phase 21 HYDRA Phase 3 US Navy DC Cable
Location Long Island, NY, Long Island, NY, Yonkers, NY, USA Chicago, IL, USA Florida State
USA USA University
Site Holbrook Substation Holbrook Substation Granite Hill–Rock- TBD CAPS
view Substations
Status Demonstration com- Upgrade commis- Under construction Undergoing detailed Laboratory testing2
pleted–transitioned sioned in 20132 at ConEd substation feasibility assessment
to Long Island 2
Developer AMSC AMSC AMSC AMSC Ultera
Utility/Host LIPA LIPA Consolidated Edison Commonwealth US Navy
Edison
In-Grid Start Date April 2008 2013 2014 (?) TBD TBD
End Date 2009 LIPA plans to operate No scheduled TBD TBD
See Long Island 2 system indefinitely termination date
Type (AC or DC) AC AC AC3 AC AC
Phases 3 3 3 3 1
Geometry Coaxial Coaxial Tri-axial TBD 4
Monopole5
Voltage 138 kV 138 kV 13.8 kV TBD 1 kV6
Rated Current 2400 Arms 2400 Arms 4000 Arms TBD 3 kA @ 77K
(Cable will operate (Cable will operate (96 MVA) 10 kA @ 40K
@ 800 to 900 Arms) @ 800 to 900 Arms)
Length 600 m 600 m 170 m ~3.5 miles 1 m and 30 m
Fault Current 51 kArms for 12 51 kArms for 12 40 kA for 4 cycles TBD Not tested
cycles cycles
(~140 kApeak (~140 kApeak
asymmetrical) asymmetrical)
Dielectric Design Cold dielectric Cold dielectric Cold dielectric TBD7 Cold dielectric
Dielectric Material LPP LPP Cryoflex TM
TBD CryoflexTM
HTS Material BSCCO YBCO fault current YBCO fault current YBCO fault current YBCO
w/Cu stabilizer limiting tape limiting tape limiting tape
HTS Conductor AMSC AMSC AMSC AMSC Not available
Supplier/Fabricator
AC Loss 3.5 W/m/phase @ Not available Not available TBD Not applicable
60 Hz, 2400 Arms
Cable Fabrication Nexans Nexans UlteraTM TBD8 UlteraTM

1. HYDRA Phase 1 was a 25-meter prototype that was successfully tested at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
2. Current laboratory testing is to validate cryogenic and thermal issues. Obtaining higher voltages is next step.
3. Fault tolerant cable.
4. Expected to be tri-axial.
5. Long-term goal is a coaxial dipole construction
6. Long-term goal is +/- 5 kV DC
7. Expected to be cold dielectric
8. Expected to be competitively bid

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Table A-2: Fault Current Limiter Projects in the United States

Project SuperLimiterTM HYDRA Central Hudson SCFCL

Location Los Angeles, CA SEE TABLE A-1 Poughkeepsie, NY
Site Devers Substation Knapp’s Corner Substation
Status Discontinued 1
Installed
Developer Consortium 2
Applied Materials
Utility/Host Southern California Edison NYSERDA3 and Central
(SCE) Hudson Gas & Electric Co.
In-Grid Start Date TBD May 2014
End Date TBD May 2015
Type Hybrid Resistive Hybrid Resistive
Phases 3 3
Voltage 138 kV 4
14.4 kV
Rated Current 1.2 kA
Expected Max Fault Current 63 kA 10.6 kA
Current-Limiting Capability ~ 37% Unavailable
Max Limiting Duration As long as required, Unavailable
can limit continuously
Peak Max Voltage Drop Unavailable Unavailable
Let-Through Current 40 kA Unavailable
Recovery Time 15 s Unavailable
HTS Material YBCO fault current limiting Unavailable
tape
HTS Conductor Supplier/Fabricator AMSC SuperPower
Size 8m long by 3 m diameter per Unavailable
phase
Weight 40,000 kg per phase Unavailable
(including LN2)

1. Loss of 50% DOE funding led consortium partners to cancel the three-phase system project
2. AMSC, Siemens, Southern California Edison Co., Nexans, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), and Texas Center for Superconduc-
tivity (TcSUH)
3. NYSERDA = NY State Energy Research & Development Agency
4. The installation at SCE was to be at 115 kV

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Table B-1: HTS Cable Projects in Europe
Project AmpaCity St. Petersburg ETL (MgB2)
Location Essen, Germany St. Petersburg, Russia Voronezh, Russia
Site Dellbruegge and Herkules Tsentralnaya and RP-9 Substations LH2 Test Facility1
Substations
Status Operational Cable fabrication underway2 Completed
Developer Nexans, RWE Deutschland, and R&D Center of FGC UES 4
Consortium5
KIT3
Utility/Host RWE Deutschland FGC UES Not applicable
Start Date March 2014 6
Commercial operation in 2016 2011
End Date ~ 20167 TBD 2012
Type AC DC DC
Phases 3 1 1
Geometry Tri-axial Coaxial DC (single) 8
Coaxial DC (single)
Voltage 10 kV 20 kV9 Not available10
Rated Current 2.3 kA (40 MVA) 2.5 kA dc (50 MW) 2.6 kA dc11
Length 1 km 2.5 km 12 m
Fault Current 20 kA (50 kA peak) Not available Not available
Dielectric Design Cold dielectric Cold dielectric Cold dielectric
Dielectric Material LPP LPP (?) Kapton
HTS Material BSCCO 12
BSCCO 13
Magnesium Diboride (MgB2)
HTS Conductor Sumitomo Sumitomo Columbus Superconductor
Supplier/Fabricator
AC Loss 1 W/m14 Not applicable Not applicable
Cable Fabrication Nexans R&D Center of FGC UES15 VNIIKP

1. Tests occurred at the Chemical Automation Design Bureau’s LH2 Test facility in Voronezh, Russia.
2. Sample cable tests were conducted in 2013 on two 30-m samples. Fabrication of two, 430-m cable lengths in cryostats was com-
pleted August 2014.
3. KIT = Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. The German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology has given funding of $8 million for
the $18 million project.
4. FGC UES = Federal Grid Company of Unified Energy System
5. Russian Scientific R&D Cable Institute (VNIIKP), Institute of Microelectonics Nanotechnology, and the Moscow Aviation Institute (MAI).
Project funding was from the Russian Academy of Science (RAS).
6. Date cable was commissioned. Project started September 2012.
7. After 2 years of operation in the grid an evaluation will be conducted. The utility may opt for installation of additional HTS cables.
8. Go and return conductors are in a single cable.
9. Tsentralnaya substation conversion is to 330 kV AC. RP-9 substation conversion is to 220 kV AC. Converters are 12-pulse, thyristor
based.
10. Cable insulation design is suitable 20-30 kV dc, but high-voltage tests were not conducted.
11. Each of the five layers of MgB2 had a measured IC of 529 A at 20K. (Superconductor Week, June 30, 2012)
12. 80 km of wire will be produced for the project (Superconductor Week, Vol. 26, No. 20).
13. Forward (inner) conductor: 22 tapes, IC = 160 A, two layers. Reverse conductor: 19 tapes, IC = 180 A, one layer.
14. In cable section alone. Complete system had measured losses of 1.6–1.9 kW in July-August 2014, calculated as (Tout-Tin)∙cp∙dm/dt,
where Tout-Tin is the cable cryogen temperature difference between outlet and inlet and dm/dt is the measured mass flow.
15. FGC UES = Federal Grid Company of Unified Energy System.

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Table B-2: Fault Current Limiter Projects in Europe

Project AmpaCity A2A/RSE

Location Essen, Germany Milan, Italy
Site Herkules Substation San Dionigi Substation (MI)
Status Operational Fabrication of first prototype
Developer Nexans ERSE Spa
Utility/Host RWE Deutschland A2A Reti Elettriche Spa Group
In-Grid Start Date March 2014 March 2012
End Date 2016 June 20141
Type Resistive Resistive2
Phases 3 3
Voltage 10 kV 9 kV
Rated Current 2.4 kA (40 MVA) 220 A (3.4 MVA)3
Expected Max Fault Current 50 kA Isc = 30 kAPEAK (first peak)4
Current-Limiting Capability 50 kA --> 20 kA 2 < (Isc / ILim) < 2
Max Limiting Duration 100 msec 300 to 400 msec
Peak Max Voltage Drop Not available <10 V @ Inominal
Let-Through Current <5 kA (<13 kA peak) ILim <16 kAPEAK (first peak) 5
Recovery Time Not available >10 s (full recovery)
HTS Material YBCO tapes BSCCO 1G
HTS Conductor Supplier/Fabricator SuperPower Sumitomo
Size (H x W x L) 2.5 x 1 x 13 m 6
3.5 x 2 x 4 m7
Weight Not available 3.8 tons8

1. An upgraded device is under construction and is expected to enter service in 2015.

2. Employs a shunt air core reactor.
3. 1-kA (15-MVA) unit in development.
4. Isc = 30 kAPEAK (first peak), Isc = 12 kArms (steady-state). On May 17, 2014, the unit successfully limited a severe three-phase
fault >20.8 kAp to 11.9 kAp.
5. ILim <16 kAPEAK (first peak); ILim =6 kARMS (steady-state)
6. Approximate.
7. Entire system: includes HTS, cryostat, refrigeration system, etc.
8. Entire system: includes HTS, cryostat, refrigeration system, etc.

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Table B-1: HTS Cable Projects in Japan and South Korea
Project Asahi JeJu Island DC
Location Yokohama, Japan JeJu Island, South Korea
Site Asahi Substation GumAk–Hanlim Substations
Status Completed initial test1 Operational
Developer METI/NEDO/Sumitomo 2
KEPCO/LS Cable/KERI
Utility/Host TEPCO KEPCO
Start Date Oct. 30, 2012 3
October 2014
End Date Dec. 2013 (see note on Status) 2016
Type AC DC
Phases 3 1
Geometry Triad Coaxial DC
Voltage 66 kV +/- 80 kV dc
Rated Current 5 kA (200 MVA) 3,125 A dc
Length 240 m 500 m
Fault Current 31.5 kArms for 2 sec 4
Not available
Dielectric Design Cold dielectric Cold dielectric
Dielectric Material LPP LPP
HTS Material BSCCO YBCO
HTS Conductor Sumitomo AMSC
Supplier/Fabricator
AC Loss 0.9 W/m/phase @ 2 kA (50 Hz), 77K Not applicable
Cable Fabrication Sumitomo AMSC

1. System is temporarily off line. A new refrigeration system is being designed and fabricated.
2. METI = Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry; NEDO = New Energy Development Organization.
3. Project began in 2007.
4. Pre-tested at 10 kA for 18 sec. This was a “pre-performance” test of a 30-meter cable with same design. [H. Yumura, “Update of Yoko-
hama HTS Cable Project,” preprint of ASC 2012 Proceedings, Table IV, October 9, 2012.]

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